A quadruped machine that can navigate rubble, climb stairs, and diagnose mechanical failures without human intervention is the centre of attention at the India AI Summit. Read more

Commuters at several parts of the national capital on Monday reported traffic congestion and travel delays, with enhanced security arrangements and traffic diversions coming into force for the five-day AI Impact Summit at the Bharat Mandapam.

French President Macron and his wife, First Lady Brigitte Macron, will be visiting India from February 16-19. The French President will arrive and Mumbai. He is expected to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi on February 17.

French President will travel to Delhi to attend the AI Impact Summit 2026.

"Very soon, the government will launch 'Create in India' mission, which will be an industry, employment and future-oriented mission. It will look at strengthening what we have, making sure we become the most preferred platform for the world and creating a future-ready talent pipeline...," Union railway and IT minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said at India AI Impact Summit.

India kicks off one of the world's largest artificial intelligence summits Monday, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking to clear a path for India in a heated race to develop frontier models.

The AI Impact Summit 2026 has placed India firmly on the global map in shaping discussions around artificial intelligence and technology governance, Aam Aadmi Party MP Raghav Chadha said on Monday.

In his address at the summit, Chadha said India is increasingly being seen as an important voice in global debates on how artificial intelligence should be governed, developed, and used in the public interest.

"Artificial intelligence is no longer just a technology issue but a strategic one," he underlined.

Earlier in the day, Chadha shared his views on X, saying he was excited to speak at the AI Impact Summit 2026 at Bharat Mandapam.

"This is a defining moment for how we shape AI in the public interest. It will influence how we govern, build, and protect citizens in the years ahead," the Rajya Sabha member said.

The AI Impact Summit 2026 has placed India firmly on the global map in shaping discussions around artificial intelligence and technology governance, Aam Aadmi Party MP Raghav Chadha said on Monday.

In his address at the summit, Chadha said India is increasingly being seen as an important voice in global debates on how artificial intelligence should be governed, developed, and used in the public interest.

"Artificial intelligence is no longer just a technology issue but a strategic one," he underlined.

Earlier in the day, Chadha shared his views on X, saying he was excited to speak at the AI Impact Summit 2026 at Bharat Mandapam.

"This is a defining moment for how we shape AI in the public interest. It will influence how we govern, build, and protect citizens in the years ahead," the Rajya Sabha member said.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) models are improving at an unprecedented pace and the sector is set to witness exponential growth over the next three years, Puneet Chandok, President of Microsoft India and South Asia, said on Monday.

Speaking at the “AI for Disaster Management: Anticipatory, Hyperlocal, Scalable” session during the AI Impact Summit 2026 here, Chandok said the speed at which AI has advanced in the last few months clearly shows how quickly the technology is evolving.

“The models you have seen today are incredible and we are growing rapidly. With AI, we now have the potential to move forward at a much faster pace. The world is changing and is ready to adopt it,” he said.

The delegates and head of the states at Hotel Taj Palace will be welcomed by the tradition of Atithi Devo Bhava. They will be welcomed with Indian classical music, Tilak, and Tulsi Mala.

The delegates and head of the states at Hotel Taj Palace will be welcomed by the tradition of Atithi Devo Bhava. They will be welcomed with Indian classical music, Tilak, and Tulsi Mala.

This event brings together innovators, startups, policy makers and enterprises to create the conversations on the same page. Hopefully, over time, this will lead to more collaborations. A big thanks to the government for putting this together. One thing is to use AI; we need to create AI for Indian use cases and consumers...There is a need for more digital public infrastructure to come around.

Top executives from global AI giants will join several world leaders in New Delhi this week for a major artificial intelligence summit, at a time when India is trying to lure more investment in the industry.

The country is emerging as a hotspot for AI firms, with Alphabet's Google, Microsoft  and Amazon already committing a combined $68 billion in AI and cloud infrastructure investment up to 2030.

Indian officials are positioning the India AI Impact Summit, which started today, as a platform to amplify the voices of developing nations in global AI governance. Delhi marks the first time the global event is being held in the developing world.

Key speakers at the summit include Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei, Reliance Chairman Mukesh Ambani, and Google DeepMind CEO Demis Hassabis who will address the event on Thursday.

At India AI Impact Summit 2026, New Zealand Minister of  Science, Innovation and Technology, Dr Shane Reti says, "The fact that we are holding the Summit in India is recognition by the whole world of the importance India can have...From New Zealand's perspective, we see India as a giant that it is, but also the good work being done in policy. We are very keen to collaborate with India inthe  AI space..."

"Both India and New Zealand understand that if we are going to benefit from the promises that are promised with AI, then we need to get a social license. To earn social license from our communities, we need to build trust. That is where we are going to learn from India and be a part of an international discussion on how to demonstrate to people we serve that they can have trust that we have considered all risks that might come with AI."

The AI Summit, which will conclude on February 20, serves as a premier global platform for AI, featuring over 100 countries participating in Seven Chakra (Working Groups) to establish responsible, inclusive AI frameworks.

Harish Krishnan, Managing Director, Cisco Systems India, stated on Monday that AI is reforming social good for generations to come and effectively augmenting essential human capabilities.

Speaking at the 'India AI Impact Summit 2026' on the theme 'Democratising AI Resources for Economic Growth and Social Good', Krishnan emphasised that the skills that matter most are human skills, noting that "AI agents are doing it effectively." He further underlined the industry's collaboration with the public sector, stating, "At CISCO, we align the mission of using AI to make life better with the help of the government," while prioritising a commitment to secure frameworks.

Illustrating the practical application of this vision, Krishnan discussed the impact of AI on the agricultural sector through the 'Krishi Mangal' programme. "Our programme, Krishi Mangal, is in multiple languages for farmers using Sovereign AI. We have 44,000 women farmers, and the AI and our programme are boosting their incomes and improving livelihoods," he added.

Speaking at a session on "The Future of Employability in the Age of AI", industry leaders felt that while some existing jobs might become redundant, artificial intelligence will create new job opportunities and employees must be on the lookout to find which skillsets they need to upgrade.

Sanjeev Bikhchandani, Founder, Info Edge (which owns Naukri.com) cited the example of the time when computers were brought in to handle functions at the bank. "Nobody lost their job and instead productivity went up," he said.

Responding to a query on whether AI adoption is going to cost jobs, Bhikchandani's message to youngsters was "don't worry about policy. Just think what should you do so that AI does not make you lose your job and instead help you get a job".

"AI is happening, it is relentless, if you don't do AI, AI will be done to you... Set a personal target of learning how to use three AI platforms within the next three months. The more you do that the more your job is safe," he said.

PM Modi will inaugurate the India AI Impact Expo at 5 pm today. It will bring together innovators, startups, industry leaders and public institutions under one roof.

Keynotes / Panel Discussions / Roundtables are scheduled in Bharat Mandapam / Sushma Swaraj Bhawan / Ambedkar Bhawan, respectively.

The day will frame national priorities, spark collaborations, and shape the strategic AI discourse for the days ahead. High-impact keynote addresses, policy-focused panel discussions and expert roundtables will set the intellectual foundation of the Summit.

For security of the event on AI, the authorities including the Delhi Police are using AI-assisted systems. More than 10,000 personnel will be deployed. The entire event area has been divided into 10 zones and 22 sectors.

In addition to police, paramilitary personnel have also been deployed. Senior police officers will personally monitor the event.

There are 25 anti-sabotage teams and bomb squads. Five anti-drone systems and four air defence guns have been deployed around Bharat Mandapam.

At least 350 AI-enabled cameras and over 750 CCTVs will keep an eye on the event.

The initiative aims to foster the right mindset and develop essential AI skills, empowering participants to become responsible innovators, creators, and users of artificial intelligence.

For live coverage follow this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3UB5kRjmDa4 

Bringing the world together to discuss AI!
Starting today, India hosts the AI Impact Summit at Bharat Mandapam in Delhi. I warmly welcome world leaders, captains of industry, innovators, policymakers, researchers and tech enthusiasts from across the world for this Summit. The...

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) February 16, 2026

AI today is transforming several sectors, including healthcare, education, agriculture, governance and enterprise. The AI Impact Summit will enrich global discourse on diverse aspects of AI, such as innovation, collaboration, responsible use and more. I am confident that the...

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) February 16, 2026

Thanks to the 1.4 billion people of India, our nation stands at the forefront of the AI transformation. From digital public infrastructure to a vibrant StartUp ecosystem and cutting-edge research, our strides in AI reflect both ambition and responsibility.

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) February 16, 2026

In a major endorsement of India's growing role in artificial intelligence, Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, has described India as a potential "full-stack AI leader" and announced plans to expand the company's presence and partnerships in the country.

In a media article, Altman said India has become OpenAI's second-largest user base globally, after the United States.

He revealed that India now has 100 million weekly active users of ChatGPT, with the country also having the largest number of student users worldwide.

India ranks fourth globally in the adoption of Prism, OpenAI's free tool for scientific research and LaTeX-based collaboration.

Altman said OpenAI is committed to building AI "in India, with India, and for India." He noted that the company has made its tools available for free to ensure access regardless of income, education or familiarity with technology.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said that data centres in India will be a major job creator for the youth and invited the "whole world's data to reside" in the country. The statements come ahead of the India AI Impact Summit 2026, scheduled to be held in New Delhi from February 16 to 20. PM Modi will inaugurate the India AI Impact Expo 2026 on Monday, which will be held alongside the India AI Impact Summit. 

"Data centres will be a massive job creator for our youth. We invite the whole world's data to reside in India. India is laying the foundation for a thriving AI ecosystem by expanding computing power and data centre infra capacity," said PM Modi during an interview with news agency PTI.

India kicks off one of the world's largest artificial intelligence summits Monday, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking to clear a path for India in a heated race to develop frontier models.

The Delhi summit is the fourth in a series of international AI meetings. The first in 2023 was called the AI Safety Summit, and preventing real-world harm is still a key goal.